Mechanism for converting reciprocating into rotary motion.



' R. W. J. SMITH. MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING REGIPROGATING INTO ROTARYMOTION. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1912.

1,063,839. Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES nvmron W did/72 iff'ji/Z/ZZ/Z 2. 11 M 'MZ.

ATTORNEYS R. W. J. SMITH. MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING REGIPROOATING INTOROTARY MOTION.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 8, 1912.

1,063,839. Patented June 3, 1913.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR F- B) a. 8. W 44W,

ATTbRIVEYS State of "lexas,

ROBERT w. .r. siiu'rn, or HUNTSVILLE, 1mm

MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING RECIPROCATING IN IO-IETLEY MOTION.

Specification o'f Lctters Patent;

vpfiioafluu mes Julyq 191.2. Skriul I); 708,

1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. J. SMITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates,andaresident of Hun sville, in the county of Walker and haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for(louver-ting Reciprocating into- Rotary Motion, of which thef0ll(')WlI1g'1S a specification.

M y invention is an improvement in mechanism for convertingreciprocatinginto roi'arv motion, and has for its object the provision of a simpledevice of the character specified for connecting a driving shaft withone or more driven shafts, in such manner nit while the driven shaftsare continuously rotated by the driving shaft, the relativespeed of thedriven shafts with respectt'o the driving shaft may be easily andquickly changed. v

in the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement, partly insection; Fig. 2 is a side view. i

In the present embodiment of the invention the main or driving shaft 1is provided with three open rectangular frames 2-3 and 4-. each of whichis formed integral with the shaft, the long axes of the framescoinciding with the axis of the shaft. 5-6 and 7.

are mounted on the frames, each cam having a slot 8 for receiving theframe, and the slots 8 are of greater length than the width of the frameupon which the cam is mounted.

A yoke 9 is engaged. each cam, each' yoke having a rectangutarepemng 10,in

which the cam is arranged, and the cam touches opposite sides of theopening,so that when the cam rotates the yoke is reciprocatedtransversely of the shaft. All of the yokes are reciprocated in the samedirection, and each has a driving connection with the lateral or drivenshafts 11 and 12, arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 1.

A ratchet wheel 13 is secured to each shaft 11 and 12, in a rectan ularopening 14, in the yoke, and each ratchet wheel is engaged by aplurality of series 15 and 15 of teeth. The series of teethareoppositely arranged, one series being on each side of the ratchet wheel,and of the opening 14, and all of the said teeth are mounted to slidetoward and from the longitudinal unis of the yoke.

The te th of each Series are slidable in openings 16 in the yoke, and abar 17 is held against the shoulders of the teeth of each series, eachbar being arranged transversely shown at 19, while the inner termediateits ends,

Rn arched spring at approximately the center thereof and each springacts normally to force the teeth inwardly.

The inner end of-eacl-r tooth of series 15 is beveled or inclined on itslower face, as end of each tooth of series 15 is beveled or inclined onits upper face, as shown at 20; The arrangement o-ftecth and ratchetwheel is such, that when the yoke moves toward the shaft adjacent to theteeth, the teeth of series 5" engage and rotate the wheel, while theteeth of series 15 are pressed outwardly. On the other hand when theyoke moves toward the opposite shaft, the teeth of series 15 engage androtate the wheel, while the teeth of series 15 are pushed outwardly. Acontinuous movement in one direction is thus imparted to the two shafts11 and 12, when shafi Iis rotated.

Each of the cams 5, 6 and 7 is provided with a pin 21, arrangedtransversely of slot 8, at the point of eccentricity of the cam, andeach pin 21 passes through a slot 22', extending diagonally of a block23. Each block 23 is slidable in. the frame on which the cam is mounted,longitudinally of shaft 1, and it will be evident that when the block ismoved ,the cam belonging thereto will be shifted to increase ordiminish. its eccen tricity.

The shaft 1 is hollow, and a rod 24 is arranged 'in the hollow at oneend of the shaft. The inner end of rod 24 is connect-ed to the block 23of cam 5, and the outer end of the rod is provided with a head 25,having an annular groove 26-. A lever 27 is as shown at 28, and theinner endof the levenis forked, the arms 29 of the fork having pins orrollers 30 engaging the groove 26 of the head. The outer end ofthe'lever is provided with a grip 31, and it will be evident, that whenthe lever is swung the block 23 will be moved in the frame 2. The block23 of frame 2 is connected to the said block of'frame 3, and the blockof frame 3 is connected to the block of frame 4, by means of rods 32,both rods being in the hollow of shaft 1. hen the lever is swung, all ofthe blocks 23 are moved longitudinally of the shaft, and all of the camsare shifted simultaneously, to increase or 'Since the traveL 11 diminishtheir eccentricity, or 5 ed of shafts 11 and 12 with respect to sha t 1is dependent upon the eccent rieity iratmdmune 3, 1913.

pivoted insal of the direction of the movement of the yoke. In fact thegreater the number of cams and ratchet mechanism used, the more uniformis the rotation of the shafts .llf

and 12.

The device is especially intended for use in automobiles and two drivenshafts are used in order that each rear Wheel may have its own shaft,thus dispensing with the necessity of a differential gear. It will benoted that either wheel, that is, that either shaft 11 and 1.2 may berotated forwardly with the cams idle, therefore whengoing around thecorner the outer wheel can rotate faster than the inner wheel, therebyavoiding the necessity of a differential gear in the rear axle.

\Vhile especially designed for use in automobiles, the device may alsobe used with.

motor vehicles of any class and with machine tools such. as lathes andboring mills or any other device requiring different speeds. It will beevident that the speed of the shafts 11 and 12 varies with theeccentricity of the cams, and thereforethe speed of the vehicle isproportional to the eccentricity of the cam. It will be also evidentthat an infinite number of speeds may be obtained without any suddentransition from one speed to the other or any clatteringbf gears socommon with the present type ofgcars, when changing from one speed tothe other.

I claim:

1'. In combination, a drivin shaft, :1

' driven shaft on each side thereo the driving shaft having a pluralityof substantially rectangular guide frames interposed in its length,each'frame havin its long axis in the of the shaft an its narrow axistransverse to the shaft, a block. slidable in of theishaft-fa leverpivoted intermediate its ends and having one end rotatably connected tothe rod, a yoke plate for each cam,

each plate having a central rectangular opening fo v; receiving the cam,and end openings for receiving the driven shafts, the cam engagingopposite sides of the central opening of the yoke to reciprocate saidyoke toward and from the driven shafts, and a driving connection betweeneach yoke and the driven shafts for continuously rotating the saidshafts in one direction when the yoke is reciprocated.

2. In combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft on each side thereof,the driving shaft having a plurality of substantially rectangular guideframes'interposed in its length, each frame havingits long axis in theaxis of the shaft and its narrow axis transverse to the shaft, a blockslidable in each frame longitudinally ofthe shaft, a cam wheel for eachframe, each wheel havin a slot for receivin the frame, the slot being ofgreater lengt than the width of the frame, a pin arranged transverselyof the slotof each cam and passing through the slot of the block in theadjacentframe,

means for simultaneously moving the blocks, a yoke for each cam, eachyoke having an opening for the cam, the cam engaging opposite sides ofthe opening, and bemg reciprocated by the rotation of the cam,

and a driving connection-between each yoke and the driven shafts forcontinuously ro-- tating said shafts in one direction when the yokes arereciprocated.

3. In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having three rectangularguides extending longitudinally of the shaft, a brook movable in eachguidelongitudinally of the shaft, each block having a slot inclined tothe shaft, a cam for each guide, each cam having a slot for the guide ofgreater length than thewidt-h of the guide, each cam having a pinextending through the slot of the adjacent block, means forsimultaneousl j moving the blocks, a driven shaft on cam side of thedriving shaft, and means oper ated by the rotation of the cams for continuously rotating the driven shafts in one direction, said meanscomprising aplate for each cam, each plate having an opening for the camand an opening for each driven shaft, the cam engaging the sides of theopening adjacent to the driven shafts, a ratchet. wheel on each drivenshaft in the opening of the plate, a series of teeth slid able in theplate on each side of each ratchet wheel, and springs compressing eachseries toward the ratchetwheel, the teeth of one series bein beveled attheir inner ends on the side a jacent to the driven shaft, and the teethof the other series being beveled at their inner ends on the side remotefrom the driving shaft.

4. In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft, each block having a slotinclined to the shaft, a cam for each guide, each cam having a slot forthe guide of greater length than the width of the guide, each cam havinga pin extending through the slot of the adjacent block, means forsimultaneously moving the blocks, a driven shaft on each side of thedriving shaft, and means operated by the rotation of the cams forcontinuously rotating the driven shafts in one direction, said meanscomprising a ratchet wheel on each of the driven shafts, a yoke plateconnected with each cam and reciprocated toward and from the drivenshafts by the (am, a series of teeth slidable on the plate on each sideof each ratchet Wheel, one of the saidscries having their inner endsbeveled on one side. and the other series having their inner endsbeveled on the opposite side.

in combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having three rectangularguides extending longitudinally of the shaft, a block n'iovable in ea-xhguide longitudinally of the shaft, each block having a slot inclined tothe shaft, :1 eamfor each guide, each cam having a slot for the guide ofgreater length than the width of the guide, each cam having a pinextending through the slot of the adjacent block, means forsimultaneously moving the blocks, a driven shaft on each side of thedriving shaft, and means operated by the rotation of the cams forcontinuously rotating the driven shafts in one direction. I

O. In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having a guide extendinglongitudinally thereof, a block movable in the guide longitudinally ofthe shaft, said block having a .-lot inclined to the shaft, means formoving the block, a cam having a slot for the guide of greater widththan the width of the guide. a pin extending transversely of the slot ofthe cam and passing through the slot of the l)l )t'l a driven shaft oneach side of the driving shaft, and means operated by the rotation ofthe cam for continuously rotating the driven shafts in one directioi,said means comprising a plate having an opening for the cam and anopening for earl. di'iien shaft, the ram engaging the sides of lllt'opening adjacent to the driven shafts. :1 ratchet wheel on each drivenshaft in the opening of the plate, a series of teeth slidable in. theplate on each side of each rat het wh el, the teeth of one series havingtheir inner ends beveled on one side, and the teeth of the other serieshaving their inner endsb veled on the opposite side, and springspressing each series toward the ratchet wheel.

- 7. 'In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having a guideextending longitudinally thereof, a block movable in the guidelongitudinally of the shaft, said block having a slot inclined to theshaft, means for moving the block, a cam having a slot for the guide ofgreater length than the width of the guide, a pin extending transverselyof the lot: of the cam and passing through the slot of the block, adriven shaft on each side of the driving shaft, and means operated bythe rotation of the cam for continuously rotating the driven shafts inone direction, said means comprising a plate having an opening for thecam and an opening for each driven shaft, the cam engaging the sides ofthe opening adjacent to the driven shafts,.a ratchet wheel on eachdriven shaft in the opening of the plate, and means on the plate forengaging the ratchet wheel and rotating the same when the plate isreciprocated.

8. In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having a guide extendinglongitudinally thereof, a block movable in the guide longitudinally ofthe shaft, said block having a slot inclined to the shaft, means formoving the block, a cam having a slot for the guide of greater lengththan the Width of the guide, a pin extending transversely of the slot ofthe cam and passing through the slot of the block, a driven shaft oneach side of the driving shaft, and means operated by the rotation ofthe cam for continuously rotating the driven shafts in one direction.

9. In combination, a driving shaft, said shaft having a guide extendinglongitudinally thereof, a block movable in the guide longitudinally ofthe shaft, said block having a slot inclined to the shaft, means formoving the block, a cam having a slot for the guide of greater lengththan the width of the guide, a pin extending transversely of theslotof..thc .cam and passing through the slot of the block, a drivenshaft, and means operated by the rotation of the cam for continuouslyrotating the driven shaft in one direction.

10. In combination, a driving shaft,.a driven shaft. a cam on thedriving shaft, said cam having a transverse slot intersecting the centerof eccentricity, means on the shaft engaging the slot for constrainingthe cam to rotate with the shaft, a pin arranged transversely of theslot at the center of ec-' centricity of the cam, means engaging the pinfor moving the cam with respect to the shaft to vary the eccentricity ofthe cam with respect to the shaft, and a. connection between the cam andthe driven shaft for rotating the driven shaft in the same direction asthe drivin shaft.

' RO ERT W. J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

H. D. THOMPSON, W. .H. LEWIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for flv cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Wilmington, D. 0."

